Storage and vaporizing apparatus for liquefied petroleum gas mixtures



Sept. 15, 1953 J. w. DU RANT 2,651,921

STORAGE AND VAPORIZING APPARATUS FOR LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS MIXTURES 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 Filed March 12, 1951 :i l:: 51 T: g l I'll iai Ja/m H. DuRanf w INVENTOR.

Sept. 15, 1953 J. w. DU RANT' 2,651,921

STORAGE AND VAPORIZING APPARATUS FOR LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS MIXTURES Filed March 12, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I \k l v 32 26 John W DuRanr INVENTOR.

WW EM Patented Sept. 15, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STORAGE AND VAPORIZING APPARATUS FOR LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS MIX- TUBES 6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in storage and vaporizing apparatus for liquefied petroleum gases, and more particularly pertains to apparatus of this character especially well adapted for vaporizing constant B. t. u. mixtures from liquefied petroleum gas mixtures.

The primary object of-the present invention is to provide storage and vaporizing means for mixtures of liquefied petroleum gases, which will produce fuel vapors of substantially constant B. t. u. heating value, and in which the tendencies of such liquefied fuel mixtures to stratify will be effectively counteracted.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide apparatus of this character which will operate with substantially undiminished efiiciency throughout a wide range of fuel vapor demand.

A paramount feature in the present invention resides in the provision of spray means for spraying liquid from the bottom of one tank into the vapor space of the other tank during high demand periods, for effective vaporization therein and also for moving liquid from the bottom of said one tank onto the upper surface of the liquid in the other tank.

Another meritorious feature of the present invention resides in the construction and arrangement of the conduits and the check valves therein so that such conduits serve to move liquid from the bottom of either one of the tanks into the upper portion of the other tank upon the occurrence of appropriate pressure differentials between the tanks.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of the invention which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the present invention, wherein the flow of fluids in the apparatus during the removal of fuel vapor therefrom is indicated by flow arrows;

Figure 2 is a sectional view similar to that shown in Figure 1, however, the flow arrows in this view indicate the direction of flow of fluids during the filling of the apparatus with liquefied gases;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken upon the plane of the section 33 of Figure 1, certain hidden details being indicated in dotted outline;

Figure lis an enlarged sectional detail view illustrating particularly the manner in which the partition is secured in the main tank and the arrangement of the conduits with respect thereto, as well as the internal construction of the valves; and,

Figure 5 is another enlarged sectional detail view, this view illustrating particularly the construction of the spray section of one of the conduits; and,

Figure 6 is a sectional detail view taken upon the plane of the broken section line 6--6 of Figure 5.

Reference is now made more specifically to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals designate similar partsthroughout the various views, and in which the reference numeral I 0 designates the subject matter of this invention generally. The apparatus 10 comprises a main tank [2 including a central cylindrical portion [4, the open ends of which are suitably closed by spherical shell segments IS. The tank 12 is preferably of welded steel construction throughout and it will be understood that the same will be of sufiicient structural strength to safely contain the vapor pressures of the volatile materials to be placed therein, with an adequate safety factor being added for the expected temperatures to which the tank 12 will be exposed. As is customary in an apparatus of this character, the tank I2 is preferably buried within the ground so that the same will be subjected to substantially constant temperatures throughout the year, or at least so that the same will not be subject to wide variations in temperature.

The interior of the tank I2 is divided into compartments [8 and 20 by a vertical partition, 22, so that the tank I2 may be considered as. actually being composed of two separate tanks. defining the chambers 18 and 20. Like the tank;

[2, the partition 22 is preferably steel, and is provided with an integral peripheral flange 25.

that is welded to the tank [2 as at 26.

While the partition 22 has been shown as: positioned so that the chamber 20 is much largerthan the chamber I8, it is contemplated that the'partition 22 may be positioned in the tank l2 to give whatever relative proportions desired to the chambers l8 and 20. Moreover, if deemed expedient, entirely separate tanks, not shown, may be provided to furnish chambers l8 and 20.

An L-shaped conduit is provided which includes a horizontal portion 28 that extends through the partition 22 adjacent the top of tank 12 and a vertical portion 30 disposed in the chamber [8 that has its lower end disposed only ashort ,distanceabove the bottom-of the cham ber l8. in a similar manner, a similar L-shaped conduit is provided, the horizontal portion 32 of which extends through the partition 22 and the lower end of the vertical portion 34 of which is disposed adjacent the bottom of the chamber 20.

The horizontal portions 28 and 32 of the conduits extend through suitablefapertiires in the partition 22,'and*ar'e sealed therethroiighpas by welding 36 so that the only fluid communication between the chambers l8 and 20 is through the conduits. e a

Means is provided so thatftfie'o'nly mitted in either of the conduits is such that fluids will pass upwardly in the vertical portions thereof. In the preferred form of the inveiitionpsiih means comprises ball check va lves 3 6 and I18 disposed in the horizontal portions 30 and 34 of the respective conduits. As will be readily under- .stood upon reference to Figure 4 of the drawings,

ballsml-in the valves -36 and 38 *willunseat to permit upward :fiow -in the conduits, but will gravitate "to valve closing :positions to :prevent downward flow in the conduits.

:As best-shown in-Figures and'6, thehorizontal portion-m'projectshorizontallyintheupperportion ofthe chamber'ifl-andsuch extension'oon- ;stitutes a spray section 42 of the conduit inasmuch "as #such *portion isypr'ovided with a plulra-lity of discharge orifices 44. ,Theorifices '44 are preferably arranged in parallel rows in the :bot-

tom of the spray section 42 arranged approximately twe'nty,,=five "degrees from :the vertical medial planeof*the-ppray-section 42 as'clearly shown in Figure 6. Ihe free'end ofthe spray zbe finely divided,-and* it is thought preferablethat :the sum of thecross sectional'areasof the orifices substantially equal the inside cross sectional area of the spray section *42, V p

A vaporeducting conduit 48- is provided for the chamber 20 and communicates with the upper portion thereof, 'it being understood that .such conduit 48 will customarily'be connected through pressure regulating means tofuel consuming devices, not shown. 7 e

While the tank l2- may'be charged-with liquefied gas by introducingtthesameinto either oi the chambers l8 and--20, as-willbe evident totho se skilled in the art,- in; the-preferred construction, the tank I2 is charged with liquefied: gas through a lle ondu 0 -,qom un tmei ht e u pe portion of the chamber 20. Obviously, the filler construction is, provided with suitable shut offi valves or the like; indicated generally at "52 [as is uaomsr -mwms"aa. I

lhe' operation if 'thejinvention will be readily unde stood. Af'ssumirigthetank izfto be charged withTl'iquefied fuel j'sofjthat the liquid is present in [bear chambers, it "will -beclear"that the" 0011- tents-of the' ta'rik llFwi'll absorbheatfroi'n the surroundings of the tank to elevate the vapor pressure er the l'i'qui'd idel and to {furnish the neeessa'rytalent-heater vaporization of the-latter upmva ofimionm th'e sani'e. It will be ap 4 parent that when vapor is drawn off through the conduit 48 from the chamber 20, the contents of the chamber 20 will be cooled by the attendant vaporization of its contents and that the pressure therein will be lowered below the pressure prevailing in chamber l8, whereupon liquid from the lower portion of chamber [8 will enter the :bndiiit 30, asdriiiicated'by'tliearrow '54 in Figore-1, to be discharged as'afihespray inthe upper portion of the chamber 20, as indicated by the arrows 56 in Figure 1. Such spraying of liquid into the upper portion of chamber 20 produces twozli'e'sirable ffects, that is, very great liquidvapor interfacesurface areas are created that promote rapid vaporization to meet high fuel water d'niaifds, and the tendencies of liquid fuel ;mixtures -.to st ratif -y inner chambers l8 and 20 is counteracted 'by unvaporized spray settling ge'ntl'y on the surface of the liquid in the chamber 20 inasmuch as such sprayed liquid comes from the bottomof the chamber Hi. This latter effectwillvberappreciated'when itis assumed that azmixtureof propane :and butane is used-as a fuel. vinasmuch .as "these fuel constituents possess difierent physical properties, such as different :vapor pressures, density heating value, etc., it is apparent that to produce a substantiallyiconstantheating-value fuel vapor, that the surfaceof the liquid mixture in the chamber 2 0 should "be of substantially the same percentage composition throughout the depletion of the contents of the tank l2. This is, of course, realized -to 'a*marked :extent in the use of the present invention by spraying the liquid from the bottom ofthewchamberyl 8;onto the top surfacerof the'-;liquid-. intherchamber-rZfl.

-Substantially the reverse process takes place on chargingzther'ta-nlg12,inasmuch as the filling of the compartment 20 throughthe' conduit 50, as'indicatedabythe*flowarrows -58 inFigure 2, will causethe-liquid from the bottom of the chamber'Zfl:torenter'the:conduit 34 and to be dischargedrinto the-topof the chamber l8 'as indicated by1the flow arrows 60 and -62, respectively, in;l51igure;2.

Generally, then,;it:willbe-seen that whenever a pressure difierential of a predetermined extent existsin favor of either'one-of the chambers l3 and :20, liquidfrom the very-bottom of that Ch3'mb81"-W'in.pa$ into the upper; portion-of the other chamber, -Such actionwill, of course, normally occur whenever there is a temperature differential between the contents of the chambers, or "whenever? the percentage composition of V the liquids in the compartments or chambers differ.

IfltisdBSiled thatthe chamber' zll be utilized entirelys'asza vaporization chamber, rather than as-a fuel'storage chamber, it is contemplated that a pressure-reduction .valve'marv be disposed in either of the-conduit portions 28 or 39 upstream of 'theaspray: section-42, 50 that fluid will pass therethrough only when pressure'in the chamber f8, exceeds thatinthe 'chamber 20 by a substantial predetermined amount, a and the filler conduit-50 connected to the-chamber. l8 rather than the chamber -20 inzwhich instance the conduit portionsfl32 and 34,:and-valve 40 could be dispensed with. Although-this alternative construction :is; not shown,i'the 1 value of I the spring function of the apparatusv to facilitate the formation of vapor in chamber 20 will be readily recognized. "As aimatterfof fact, the vertical exten- SiOIlr-Of the conduittportion w above the liquid levelwline -in-thechamber |8;serves in a sense as a pressure reduction valve insuch conduit, in-

asmuchias athe presa'ure :in the'chamber I 8 must exceed the pressure in the chamber 26 by a predetermined amount (the head of fluid in the con duit 30 above the liquid level in the chamber I8) before fluid from the chamber I8 is sprayed into the chamber 20.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, What claimed as new is:

1. In liquefied fuel storage and vaporizing apparatus, a tank having a partition therein dividing the interior thereof into first and second chambers, a conduit having its inner end disposed within and adjacent the bottom of the first chamber, said conduit extending through the partition and including a spray section disposed within and adjacent the top of the second chamber, such spray section having a plurality of spaced spray orifices therein, and a check valve in the conduit preventing fiow into the first chamber through the conduit.

2. In liquefied fuel storage and vaporizing apparatus, a tank having a partition therein dividing the interior thereof into first and second chambers, a conduit having its inner end disposed within and adjacent the bottom of the first chamber, said conduit extending through the partition and including a spray section disposed within and adjacent the top of the second chamber, such spray section having a plurality of spaced spray orifices therein, a check valve in the conduit preventing flow into the first chamber through the conduit, and vapor outlet means for the second chamber adjacent the top thereof.

3. In liquefied fuel storage and vaporizing apparatus, a tank having a partition therein dividing the interior thereof into first and second chambers, a conduit having its inner end disposed within and adjacent the bottom of the first chamber, said conduit extending through the partition and including a spray section disposed within and adjacent the top of the second cham ber, such spray section having a plurality of spaced spray orifices therein, a check valve in the conduit preventing flow into the first chamber through the conduit, a further conduit having its inlet end within and disposed adjacent the bottom of the second chamber and having its outlet end disposed within the first chamber, a further check valve in said further conduit preventing flow into the second chamber through said further conduit, and vapor outlet means for the second chamber adjacent the top thereof.

4. In liquefied fuel storage and vaporizing apparatus, a tank having a partition therein dividing the interior thereof into first and second chambers, a conduit having its inner end disposed within and adjacent the bottom of the first chamber, said conduit extending through the partition and including a spray section disposed within and adjacent the top of the second chamber, such spray section having a plurality of spaced spray orifices therein, a check valve in the conduit preventing fiow into the first chamber through the conduit, a further conduit having its inlet end within and disposed adjacent the bottom of the second chamber and having its outlet end disposed within the first chamber, the outlet end of said further conduit being spaced above the inlet end of the first mentioned conduit, a further check valve in said further conduit preventing flow into the second chamber through said further conduit, and vapor outlet means for the second chamber adjacent the top thereof.

5. In a liquefied fuel storage and vaporizing apparatus having first and second chambers, a conduit having its inner end disposed within and adjacent the bottom of the first chamber, said conduit extending into the upper portion of said second chamber and including a spray section disposed within and adjacent the top of the second chamber for spraying liquid from the bottom of the first chamber into the top of the second chamber and a check valve in the conduit preventing fiow into the first chamber through the conduit.

6. In a liquefied fuel storage and vaporizing apparatus having first and second chambers, a conduit having its inner end disposed within and adjacent the bottom of the first chamber, said conduit extending into the upper portion of said second chamber and including a spray section disposed within and adjacent the top of the second chamber for spraying liquid from the bottom of the first chamber into the top of the second chamber and a check valve in the conduit preventing fiow into the first chamber through the conduit, a further conduit having its inlet end within and disposed adjacent the bottom of the second chamber and having its outlet end disposed within the first chamber, a further check valve in said further conduit preventing flow into the second chamber through said further conduit, and vapor outlet means for the second chamber adjacent the top thereof.

JOHN W. DU RANT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,107,797 Messer Feb. 8, 1938 2,211,005 Dick Aug. 13, 1940 2,251,795 Howard Aug. 5, 1941 2,296,598 Cook Sept. 22, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 49,146 Netherlands Sept. 16, 1940 

